Luxford House

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Luxford House
Luxford House.jpg
South elevation
LocationCrowborough
Coordinates51°02′39″N 0°10′23″E / 51.0441°N 0.1731°E / 51.0441; 0.1731Coordinates: 51°02′39″N 0°10′23″E / 51.0441°N 0.1731°E / 51.0441; 0.1731
OS grid referenceTQ 52433 29432
AreaEast Sussex
Built16th century
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameLuxford House
Designated26 November 1953
Reference no.1028448
Luxford House is located in East Sussex
Luxford House
Location of Luxford House in East Sussex

Luxford House is a 16th-century Grade II listed building near Crowborough, East Sussex.[1] It is near the 11.5-acre (4.7 ha) Luxford Farm.[2] It was used by several rock musicians in the 1970s under the guidance of Tony Stratton Smith.

History[]

Luxford house was constructed in the early 16th century as a smoke bay house.[3] During the 1930s it was bought by Sir Hugh Beaver, former Ministry of Works director general and founder of the Guinness Book of Records, who renovated and extended it.[4][5] It was Grade II listed on 26 November 1953.[1]

Following Beaver's death in 1967, ownership of the house passed to his daughter Cerise and son-in-law, Rev Christopher Lawson-Tancred.[6] It was let to rock music manager Tony Stratton Smith who lived there through the early 1970s.[4] He encouraged groups signed to his label, Charisma Records, including Genesis and Van der Graaf Generator, to rehearse there.[4]

Genesis wrote their 1971 album Nursery Cryme at Luxford House that summer.[4] A picture of Van der Graaf Generator taken at the house appeared on the inner gatefold sleeve of their 1971 album Pawn Hearts,[7][8][9] and the cover of Neil Diamond's album Stones also uses a picture taken on the property—of a stone wall—as its cover.[4] Bert Jansch recorded his 1974 album L.A. Turnaround at Luxford House, using the library as the live room, and made a promotional video featuring the premises.[6]

In December 2017, the property and estate was put up for sale.[6]

Architecture[]

Luxford house is set in a 4,500 square feet (420 m2) estate with several lawns and gardens. The house features six bedrooms and a gym/studio constructed of Wealden stone.[6]

The exterior is timber-framed with plaster infilling, supported by a set of diagonal braces on the first floor and covered with a tile roof.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Historic England. "Luxford House (1028448)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Description of 11 luxury homes in West Kent and East Sussex". Kent and East Sussex Courier. 19 January 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  3. ^ Martin, D. (2005). "Institute of Archaeology, Project Ref 2060, Report Number 1561". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e Lucking, Liz (24 November 2017). "English Country House With Musical Connections Heads to Auction". Mansion Global. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  5. ^ "A Tutor house of rock and pop". The Times. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d "Bid for a slice of music history at auction this December". Austin Gray. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  7. ^ Easlea, Daryl (2013). Without Frontiers: The Life & Music of Peter Gabriel. Music Sales Limited. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-857-12860-7.
  8. ^ Christopulos, Jim; Smart, Phil (2005). Van der Graaf Generator – The Book. Phil and Jim Publishers. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-955-13370-1.
  9. ^ Pawn Hearts (Media notes). Charisma Records. 1971. CAS 1051.
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